You know what we’ve learned after shooting so many weddings? Every single one of them has one thing in common. Any guesses? Yep, there’s always some form of ceremony bringing the couple together in marriage! And you know what else? There’s always an officiant (or master of ceremonies) leading the way. Now, here’s the thing—we’ve seen some quirky, avoidable mistakes officiants make. To help you nail your role (and make it picture-perfect), here are a few wedding officiant tips to crush that ceremony like a pro!
1. Dress Neutral & Professional
Listen, as the officiant, your personal fashion choices? They’ll be immortalized in basically every photo (unless you disappear like Houdini following tip #7). That means dressing the part! Tuck in your shirt, skip the neon green accessories or funky party dress, and aim for something that matches the vibe of the wedding. If the couple’s getting hitched on a beach and asks you to lean into the Hawaiian look, bust out your best luau threads (seriously, send that couple our way—we live for a tropical shoot!). Just keep it muted enough to keep the spotlight on the lovebirds.
Oh, and here’s a sneaky little pro-tip if you’re sticking around for the reception as a guest. Pack two outfits! Wear one for officiating and another to dance like nobody’s watching at the reception. Cocktail hour is your golden window to do a quick change and prep to hit the floor!
2. Remind Everyone to Stand (or Sit) When the Time Comes
Have you thought about adding a little audience choreography to your officiant script? It’s simple but mighty! If you want guests to stand when the bride walks down the aisle, write “all rise” into your script and say it loud and proud. And here’s the kicker—don’t forget to cue them to sit down too. Otherwise, you could end up with a sea of standing guests for the entire 20-minute ceremony. Trust us, it’s happened! Oh, and with all that power, you just might be able to pull off the Hokey Pokey if you’re feeling ambitious.
Pro Wedding Officiant Tips: If the couple got bubbles for their formal ceremony exit… BEFORE you give them the okay-go-kiss, ask the audience to prep their bubbles. This will help build anticipation as well as get a TON of bubbles for their exit (which makes for better photos!).
3. Shadows & Lighting / Position Couple to Audience
Great photography is made up of moments… but great photography also cannot be made possible with out light and shadow. The matter of a few inches can make all the difference for a well-lit ceremony or a photographer’s worst nightmare. Make a point to chat with your media crew prior to the ceremony and ask if they see any foreseeable issues with the setup. Adjusting the for the lighting could simply be as easy as a 6 inch step forward or backward to avoid a terrible shadow casted by a tree, pergola, or the wedding decor. Teamwork makes the dream work.
Pro Wedding Officiant Tips: If possible, hold the rehearsal at the same time and place the actual ceremony will take place. This gives the opportunity to see if the sun is casting any direct shadows onto any VIPs. Ask the venue to turn on all the lights so you can simulate EXACTLY how the ceremony will be. Think of it like a dress rehearsal… just without THE dress.
4. Have Nice Accessories
Very few officiants memorize their wedding ceremonies and usually carry a binder. Whatever you are holding in your hands will be in the background of every single photo. If you purchase a 99 cent green binder from staples to hold your wedding ceremony pages – this will be in every image. Consider a leather folio to tuck the ceremony script into.
Oh, and make sure you print your text at a HUGE size that you can read from a distance.
And number your ceremony pages.
Using props for traditions during the ceremony? Here’s the golden rule: prep them like they’re starring in the photos (because they are!). Remove tags and wrappers, peel off every price sticker (yes, even the “hidden” ones under the base), and use elegant props like a gorgeous rope for hand binding or a fancy cup for wine. If things are going to get messy, ditch the paper towels and grab a nice cloth rag. Trust us, nothing slips past the camera’s lens.
👏 👏 👏 Everything 👏 has 👏 potential 👏 to 👏 be 👏 in 👏 the 👏 photos 👏 EVERYTHING. 👏 👏 👏
5. No Phones. No Tablets. No Audience Cameras. EVER.*
Please, I’m begging you. Don’t EVER ask someone to whip out a phone during the ceremony if there’s a pro photographer on-site. Seriously, we’ve got this! Most photographers and videographers and content love unplugged ceremonies. Why? Fewer chances of a guest blocking a crucial moment with their phone.
If the couple is okay with it, make a quick announcement before things kick off (and before any VIPs make their entrance). Ask everyone to stash their screens and join fully in the magic of the moment. It’s simple, but it makes all the difference!
Pro Wedding Officiant Tips: If audience participation photos are SUPER important (and unavoidable), an idea may be to invite guests for a limited moment to snap a shot of the couple together, than ask them to put away their devices to join you fully for the remaining part of the ceremony.
*Please know as blunt as this point sounds, it comes from a deep seated place in our heart – there is absolutely NO reason for the future mother-in-law to watch the entire ceremony through her 3″ phone screen when she has a front row seat to the action. Yes, we’ve seen it happen. ALOT. We can also guarantee that the couple does not need a grainy, out-of-focus, cell phone photo of their first kiss from a guests phone (it’s probably not in focus anyway!)
6. Not Too Big, Not Too Small – Make it JUST Right.
If you’re starting from scratch, don’t make your ceremony too long. Also, don’t make your ceremony too short. It is everyone’s not-so-secret desire to get to cocktail hour swiftly and quickly BUT the wedding ceremony is the part of the day where everyone comes together to focus on the past, present, and future of a relationship. The ceremony should be just long enough to help showcase gravitas to this lifelong decision, but not so long it puts your captive audience to desire a siesta.
7. Step Out of the Way for the First Kiss
The most request photo we get from the ceremony is a version of the couple’s first kiss without the officiant growing out of their bodies behind them. A little simple choreography will get you out of the way. Start with a phrase that is something to build anticipation.
“Now. For the moment we’ve ALL been waiting for.”
Next, grab the microphone stand (as long as the DJ/sound guy gave you the okay ahead of time to move it) and take some big steps to the side – like 3 or 4 large steps so you’re tucked nicely behind the line of bridesmaids or groomsmen. If you read my pro-tip from point 2, you know what line comes next.
“Ladies and gentle, get those bubbles ready we have something BIG to celebrate.”
Now that you’re properly out of the way and you’ve built some really good anticipation… go ahead and say your next line.
“You may now share your first kiss as newly weds!” (or if you’re a sucker for a 1980’s rom-com, “You may now kiss the bride!“
Now go ahead and use your officiant power to remind everyone to rise to celebrate the newlyweds as they exit their ceremony!
Pro Tip: during the rehearsal, encourage the couple to kiss more than once. This gives you the opportunity to make sure your choreography was executed correctly. If they forget to kiss a second time, you can encourage them over the microphone, “let’s really seal those vows, kiss ’em again!”
How’d we do? Officiants! Sound off! What are some of your favorite tips for a wedding ceremony that we can add to our wedding officiant tips?
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